“Food is not the enemy; we can use food strategically to help us heal. You don't have to follow such rigid diet rules to the point of feeling like you're failing unless you're putting in this daunting amount of effort. There are two diets you can begin with – Paleo or a low FODMAP diet. The beauty of these diets is that all you really need are 2-3 weeks to get a sense for if the diet is working for you. These diets won't 100% heal you in 3 weeks but you will be able to know whether you've improved or not. If you can't tell if you're improving or not, then move onto the next diet.” –Dr. Michael Ruscio

Activated charcoal, probiotics, antimicrobial herbs and more;there are so many different products as well as various forms of testing, research, and information available to help heal your gut but is it all necessary? What's truly best for you?

Is it really worth it to go through all of that testing when maybe you just need to make slight tweaks to your lifestyle to help your digestive system heal and recover?

On Wellness Force Radio episode 223, doctor, clinical researcher and best-selling author ofHealthy Gut, Healthy You, Dr. Michael Ruscio, returns to share why healing your gut doesn't have to be so complicated, what you can do if you're on a budget, and why overfeeding your gut might not be the best option if you're beginning to experience digestive symptoms.

Healthy Gut, Healthy You

Over two thousand years ago, Hippocrates said that all disease begins in the gut. Now backed by extensive scientific research, this idea still holds true today. In Healthy Gut, Healthy You, clinician and researcher Dr. Michael Ruscio shows how modern lifestyle changes and the widespread use of antibiotics have made our guts and the essential bacteria they contain more vulnerable than ever before.

The good news is that almost any ailment including depression, fatigue, weight gain, autoimmunity, insomnia, and hypothyroidism can be healed. The key is not just managing the symptoms but treating the root cause: the gut. Restoring this crucial part of your overall health improves the performance of your whole body from the inside out and it's easier than you think to get started.

You don't have to follow crazy diets or spend a fortune to get healthy. Instead, read this book to discover

how the gut works and its role in your body,

practical diet and lifestyle advice to support your gut health,

simple and actionable tools to repair your gut, and

an innovative, user-friendly plan to heal, support and revitalize your gut.

“The two main functions of the gut are digestion and the absorption of nutrients but it's also an immensely dense immune barrier. If inflammation is the instrument of the immune system, then we can connect these dots and conclude that one of the key sources of either immune to inflammatory conditions can be emanating from imbalances in the gut. This isn't just a far-reaching inference; we do know that the highest density of immune cells is contained in the small intestine.” – Dr. Michael Ruscio

“Within the rules of a Paleo or low FODMAP diet, you don't have to be 100% compliant with your diet. I expect people to miss a few meals. There might be a social function or a work event and you can have a drink or some not planned food. Do the best you can with what you have available to you but a few misses will not be the make or break between success and failure.” – Dr. Michael Ruscio

“When did becoming healthy and becoming a hypochondriac become synonymous with one another? They really shouldn't be. The whole point of becoming healthier is so that you're more resilient and you can enjoy occasional treats from time to time. If I want ice cream, I can have an ice cream because I've built up a robust enough level of health including gut health to allow me to have those indulgences.” – Dr. Michael Ruscio

About Dr. Michael Ruscio

Michael Ruscio, DC is a doctor, clinical researcher and best-selling author whose practical ideas on healing chronic illness have made him an influential voice in functional and alternative medicine. His research has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals and he speaks at integrative medical conferences across the globe.

Dr. Ruscio’s best-selling book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, has paved the way for a ‘start with the gut’ philosophy which has enabled doctors and patient to obtain improved outcomes with minimal expense and effort.

He is leading the charge to make alternative medicine more affordable, effective and practical, through a pragmatic application of evidence-based therapies. Dr. Ruscio’s ability to objectively analyze medical literature has made him a trusted voice of reason, a voice he shares on his top-rated podcast and website.